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EPA 608 NEC 2023

EPA 608 Core Practice Test 18

This practice test zeroes in on one of the most tested parts of the EPA 608 Core exam: the difference between recovery, recycling, and reclaiming. You will work through definitions, true-or-false checks, and real job-site scenarios. The test also covers venting bans, leak repair rules, and cylinder safety, so it stays a complete Core review.

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The EPA 608 certification is required by law for any technician who purchases or handles refrigerants. It covers safe handling, leak detection, recovery, and environmental regulations.

Type I covers small appliances (≤5 lbs refrigerant), Type II covers high-pressure systems, Type III covers low-pressure systems, and Universal covers all three. Most HVAC technicians pursue Universal certification.

You must score at least 70% on each section of the exam. The Universal exam has four parts: core, Type I, Type II, and Type III.

Core Exam Tip: If a question mentions selling refrigerant to a new owner, the answer almost always involves reclaiming. Recovery and recycling never allow a change of ownership.

25

Questions

25 min

Time

70%

Pass

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EPA 608 Core Practice Test 18 — Question List

Question 1: Which term describes simply removing refrigerant from a system and storing it in an outside container, with no cleaning at all?

Recycling
Recovery
Reclaiming
Retrofitting

Question 2: Which term describes cleaning refrigerant on-site, such as separating out oil and reducing moisture, acid, and particles, so it can be reused on the same job or by the same owner?

Reclaiming
Recovery
Venting
Recycling

Question 3: Which term describes processing refrigerant at a certified off-site facility until it meets AHRI Standard 700 purity, confirmed by chemical analysis?

Recovery
Recycling
Reclaiming
Evacuating

Question 4: Of recovery, recycling, and reclaiming, which is the only one that legally allows the refrigerant to be sold to a new owner?

Reclaiming
Recovery
Recycling
All three allow resale equally

Question 5: Which refrigerant process must happen at a certified facility away from the job site?

Reclaiming
Recovery
Recycling
None of them require this

Question 6: A technician cleans refrigerant right at the job site, removing oil and reducing moisture, but does not send it to a lab. What has the technician done?

Reclaimed the refrigerant
Vented the refrigerant
Retrofitted the refrigerant
Recycled the refrigerant

Question 7: Which of the three processes, recovery, recycling, or reclaiming, involves no cleaning or processing of the refrigerant at all?

Reclaiming
Recovery
Recycling
All three involve cleaning

Question 8: A technician recovers refrigerant from one rooftop unit, cleans it on-site with a filter-drier cart, and reuses it in another unit owned by the same building owner. What process did the technician perform after the initial recovery?

Reclaiming
Venting
Evacuation
Recycling

Question 9: AHRI Standard 700 sets the purity level that refrigerant must reach for which process?

Recovery
Recycling
Reclaiming
Evacuation

Question 10: Which process is confirmed to be complete through chemical analysis of the refrigerant's purity?

Recovery
Reclaiming
Recycling
None of them are verified

Question 11: A technician removes refrigerant from a broken chiller and, without any cleaning, stores it in a cylinder to bring back to the shop for later reuse by the same company. What has the technician done so far?

Recovery only
Reclaiming
Recycling
Venting

Question 12: True or False: Recycled refrigerant can legally be sold to any new owner, the same as reclaimed refrigerant.

False
True
Only true for HFCs
Only true if approved in writing by the EPA each time

Question 13: True or False: Recovery involves cleaning the refrigerant to remove moisture and acid.

True
Only true for large systems
False
Only true for HFCs

Question 14: A property owner wants refrigerant recovered from one of their own units reused later in another unit they also own, without selling it to anyone else. Which of the three processes, at minimum, must be performed before reuse?

Recovery
Reclaiming
Venting
None, it can be reused immediately with no process

Question 15: Since what date has venting HFC refrigerant into the air been illegal?

July 1, 1992
November 15, 1995
January 1, 1998
It has never been illegal to vent HFCs

Question 16: The substantial leak repair rule, with its 15% and 35% thresholds, applies only to appliances with how much refrigerant charge?

50 pounds or more
10 pounds or more
5 pounds or more
It applies to all appliances regardless of size

Question 17: How long must a business keep documentation for refrigerant purchases of 2 pounds or more?

6 months
1 year
10 years
3 years

Question 18: When recovering refrigerant into a DOT-approved cylinder, what is the maximum safe fill level by weight?

95% of rated capacity
60% of rated capacity
80% of rated capacity
100% of rated capacity

Question 19: POE and PAG refrigerant oils absorb moisture from the air very quickly. How should they be stored?

In open plastic buckets
In sealed metal containers
In sealed plastic containers
Left open to the air so moisture can escape

Question 20: What is the key difference between self-contained and system-dependent recovery equipment?

There is no real difference between them
System-dependent equipment is always faster
Self-contained equipment can only be used on HFCs
Self-contained equipment has its own compressor; system-dependent equipment relies on the appliance's compressor

Question 21: How is evacuation with a vacuum pump different from refrigerant recovery?

Evacuation removes air and moisture and is exhausted to the atmosphere, since there is no refrigerant left to protect
They are exactly the same process with different names
Evacuation is illegal, while recovery is legal
Evacuation only applies to HFC refrigerants

Question 22: Which refrigerants have an Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP) above zero?

Refrigerants with a high boiling point
Refrigerants that contain chlorine or bromine
All refrigerants equally
Only synthetic blends

Question 23: What score must a technician earn to pass the Core section of the EPA 608 exam?

50%
84%
70%
90%

Question 24: Before using a recovery cylinder, what should a technician check on it that relates to periodic hydrostatic retesting?

The paint color only
The brand name printed on it
Nothing, cylinders never need retesting
The stamped retest date

Question 25: A technician is under time pressure and considers releasing a small amount of leftover refrigerant into the air instead of recovering it. Is this allowed?

Yes, small amounts are always allowed
Yes, but only for HFC refrigerants
No, venting refrigerant is illegal, no matter the amount
Yes, as long as no one is watching

Study Tip: The EPA 608 exam is closed book. Memorize: recovery is required before opening any refrigerant system. Venting refrigerant is illegal. Know the ODP and GWP values for R-22, R-410A, R-134a, R-32, and R-454B.

EXAM CARD EPA 608

Questions25

Time limit25 min

Pass score70%

RegulationEPA Section 608

DifficultyIntermediate

Last reviewedJun 2026

Timer starts immediately. Progress is auto-saved.

Source: EPA Section 608 (40 CFR Part 82)